The present invention relates to a connector for an electrical appliance, and relates more particularly to the problem of storing and/or transporting such a connector when it is not in use.
A non-limiting application typically illustrating the above-mentioned problem is the connector equipping a charger for a radio-communication terminal. The charger conventionally comprises a housing supporting at least a pair of male pins designed to be electrically connected to conductive wires of a female socket (main outlet), and a power cable. The charger also comprises electrical contact means situated at that end of the power cable which is remote from the end fixed to the housing, to make an electrical connection between the cable and the radio-communication terminal. With simple chargers, the electrical contact means are constituted by a plug. With charges of the desk-charger type, the electrical contact means also have the function of supporting the radio-communication terminal in an almost vertical position.
Although radio-communication terminals have ever-increasing battery charge lifetime, it remains desirable to be able to carry the charger with them, in particular for trips lasting several days. To save space, the user generally winds the power cable around the housing of the connector. The end of the power cable remote from the end fixed to the housing is then either trapped, if possible, under one of the last turns, if the charger is a simple charger, or, if it is a desk charger, it is left dangling from the housing.
In the first case, the winding is not very reliable and there is a risk of the power cable being damaged. In the second case, the cable can easily unwind.
Furthermore, the problem of storage and transport also exists when the charger is manufactured. Usually, the power cable is wound up after the charger has been manufactured, and it is kept wound up by means of a quick fastener that is attached by the manufacturer. The quick fastener is generally constituted by a small wire made of plastics material that is twisted around the wound cable. In any event, such a fastener is unsuitable for fastener attachment to be automated. Furthermore, once the user has unpacked the charger for the first time, the fastener is generally lost forever.
The object of the present invention is to mitigate the above-mentioned drawbacks.
This object is achieved by means of a connector for an electrical appliance, the connector comprising a housing supporting at least a pair of male pins designed to be electrically connected to conductive wires of a female socket, and a power cable, the connector carrying fixing means for fixing the power cable, which fixing means are suitable for receiving at least one of said male pins when the connector is in a storage position.
The present invention also provides a charger for a radio-communication terminal, the charger comprising the connector of the invention, and electrical contact means situated at that end of said power cable which is remote from said housing, to make electrical contact between said power cable and the radio-communication terminal, wherein said fixing means form an integral part of said electrical contact means.